Stanford's Record Softball Crowd Gives Cal A Target For Next Year

The Bears, who beat the Cardinal, are figuring out a temporary 2026 home while their softball facility is renovated

Cal players celebrate their win at Stanford | Photo by Andrew Madsen, KLC fotos

Stanford drew the largest crowd in collegiate softball history on Saturday, and Cal spoiled the Cardinal’s party.

In front of 13,207 fans at Stanford Stadium — the football stadium — Cal posted a 10-8 victory over the No. 15 Cardinal.

The gathering for the Big Swing broke the all-time NCAA game attendance record of 12,566, set on the first day of the 2024 Women’s College World Series at Oklahoma City. The crowd also eclipsed the previous record of 8,930 fans for a regular-season game between Oklahoma and Texas in March 2023.

Stanford is playing its home games at the football stadium this season while its softball facility undergoes a major renovation.

Cal is embarking on the same overhaul of its softball complex, beginning immediately after the team’s’ final homestand this weekend vs. Virginia Tech.

The Bears are still working out the details on where the team will hold its home games next season, but we’re thinking in the spirit of the rivalry they should find a location that might allow them to promote a Berkeley edition of the Big Swing that has the potential to challenge Saturday’s record crowd.

Temporarily planting a softball diamond at Stanford Stadium was workable because the football team has a separate practice field. Cal's football team holds its practices, including spring ball, in Memorial Stadium, but so moving softball down the hill is probably not feasible for a full season.

But could the Bears somehow arrange to play a single game -- against its rival -- at Memorial? Do the stadium logistics even translate? I'm not sure, but it might be worth toying with the idea.

Cal (30-16, 7-11) got home runs from Elon Butler, Tianna Bell and Kaylee Pond to salvage one victory in the three-game series.

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